Friday, November 30, 2012

BARCELONA Part 1

The Hubs and I planned a Barcelona trip to celebrate 4 years of wedded bliss! And I have to say it was by far the best trip I've ever taken in Europe! I can't believe I'm saying this but I think I may love Barcelona even more than Paris *GASP* hahahahaha seems blasphemous from someone who claims to be such a francophile!

Everything about Barcelona was amazing.. the people, the food, the energy, the shopping! Everywhere you looked it was food and shopping, food and shopping.. and now if you know ANYTHING about me at this point you will know that those two things are two of my favorite things ever! And everything was opened so late too (which sort of drive me nuts in Germany because everything closes at like 6!!!)

But first the Duty Free shop hahahahahaha. I live for Duty Free shops!!!!!!!! Ok not really but I really really really like them bahahahahaha.

The Queen of England's favorite tea!

Quick meal before catching our flight :)

Sausage & Potato Soup

WOOT!

Chocolate granola & Yogurt

This was actually quite tasty hahaha.. I can't get use to European yogurt it just tastes different from American yogurt.. but I mixed in the chocolate granola and it was really yummy.

Ok so I admit it I totally bought this because they are in the shape of stars... but but.. they were actually REALLY yummy.. they tasted like FRIES! bahahahaha. I think the aquarius drink was like a sports drink.. not bad.. definitely better than american sports drinks.

Our Hotel!

Hotel Lobby

Ok so when we got to the hotel I had to pee and I found the lobby restrooms

OHHHHHHHHHHHEMMMMMGEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

They had Ken & Barbie dolls as the door handles bahahahaha! So bleepin' awesome!

Barbie with her handbag no less.. my kind of girl hahaha!

I found Hello Kitty in the bathroom!

Our Hotel Room

I love this - this was the control panel right next to the bed that controlled all of the windows, blinds and the lights even the bathroom lights! bahahahah although I don't really know why you would need to control the bathroom lights from the bed.

But to be fair when when we first got there I was playing around with it trying to figure out all the controls while the Hubs was taking a shower and I turned off the bathroom lights and really freaked him out HAHAHAHAHA. Ok so I guess the best use for it is to play a practical prank on someone tehehehe.

The bathroom had dual sided mirrors so you could see yourself standing in the bedroom.

And then while standing in the bathroom which was pretty awesome because it prevented the Hubs and I from constantly fighting for the mirror because you know he has to do his hair and everything.

-___-

OMG the shower was soooooooooooo awesome - see the knobs in the picture?? It had like these 5 or 6 knobs that blasted water out of them when you pushed the button and it was SOOOOOO nice like a water powered massage. Every day I stood in the shower for like an extra 5 to 10 minutes because it really helped to relax my back muscles.

We only just landed and the Hubs is already tired hahahaha.

Time to hit the streets!

Las Rambles!

La Boqueria!

It's basically their giant open air market we loved it so much we went there 3 times on our trip haha!

All the yummy Jambon!!

Unfortunately for me everything we saw the word "Jambon" anywhere, anytime the Hubs would yell out "JAM-BON-IT" with a "J"

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

::CRIES::

All the yummy fresh squeezed juices!

All of the fruit in Barcelona was soooooooooo fresh and sweet and cheap too!!!

Cheese's Galore!

So much yummy fruit!

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FIGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GIANT FOIE GRAS!!! OMG!!!

Crazy amount of seafood everywhere!

UNI!!!!!!!!

Nommy fried foods!

Salted fish!

I thought this was too cute!

An egg store dressed up as a chicken coop! hehehehehe ok. I'm a dork.

SOO MUCH FRIED GOODNESS!

I seriously wanted to eat everything!!

Do you see the little fried quail egg on some of them?!

Jumbo Chupa Chups!

I find it hard to contain my excitement when I see giant chupa chups HAHAHAHA.

Look at all those pretty mushrooms!

The Hubs found some sweets to bring home.. I have no idea what it is but tastes like soft caramel candy but it has a cake like texture to it!

We found a tapas bar in the midst of all the fresh raw foods and we sat down for some grub. I ordered a fish dish and it came with fried artichokes and sweet pepper! It was delicious!! I believe the fish was black cod which is my favorite fish ever!

Cava!

When in Barcelona right? Heh.. yeah right.. I had a sip but I thought it was just ok.

(Excuse my make-up less shiny face.. I always go make-up free when I fly because it just makes my skin feel awful!)

The tapas bar we were at!

The Hubs ordered the seafood plate!

So delicious!

It had black cod, tuna, squid, octopus, razor clams, scallops and shrimp. The scallop was out of this word delicious and it was all sauteed in a butter garlic sauce.

I Think Barcelona is my favorite city! I am so enamored with it. I can't wait to go back. I know why that panel that controls the lights is next to your bed - so that you can mess with your husband while he's in the bathroom by turning the lights on and off hahahahahah :D

Your sheer enthusiasm for things is part of what makes these kind of posts of your my absolute fave! I also adore how the Spanish seem to like to make all of their food portable - I want to eat up everything in those little cones. Thanks for sharing, I can't wait to see more!

Hi Lisa! I LOOOOVE your Prada bow flats!! I love anything with bows... They look really comfy like walking on clouds. I had uni at an all you can eat sushi restaurant, but never knew what it looked like. So thanks for snapping that pic! Your travels look so funfilled! I can't wait to take a vacation.

your trip looks AMAZING (sooo much food - my kinda girl!). i've always wanted to go to barcelona - it just seems so cultural, but modern as well. i really want to study abroad in europe next year and am already planning all my of my "side trips" for weekends and whatnot hahaha barcelona is so high up on that list. now, i just have to get in the program :/.....

omg!!!!!! FOOD PORN! ahahaha so my kind of place! I always look for markets full of food wherever i go to travel :p So hungry!The hotel and the room looks so cool and i laughed when I saw the pictures of ken and barbie as door handles! Lol how unique.

Barcelona looks amazinggggggggg!!!! The hotel is seriously cool and omg FRESH FRUIT AND JUICES NOMNOMNOM. I seriously feel like I'm living vicariously through you bahaha can't wait to see the rest of the posts!!

Oh my gosh I am so envious. I would love to go to Barcelona soon. I have toknock off Japan, Taiwan and London off my list of places to see first. Congrats on your 4 year anni!! imnotarunner at gmail dot comI wish I had your closet and your wardrobe. I live vicariously through your blog. IT'S a barbie's dream closetanita

Spain is on my list of places to visit in Europe. We are hopping to do 2 weeks in Europe in 2013---England, Paris (FR), and Amsterdam. I will def be hitting you up with some advice since you seem to be the Euro-trip expert.

I would love to go to the market too! Everything looks so amazing. OMG at the foei gras! I know it is supposed to be huge but I hadn't expected so huge. I feel almost bad that the geese and ducks have such huge liver and suffering but I just can't stop myself from loving to eat it.

I feel sad seeing the game hares hung up there.

But oh... I love all the food you shared. The fruits, ham, cheese, mushrooms and fried food. Yummy!

RYC:Oops... It wasn’t the last day yet. The final volume is up. I hope I have not bored my readers with an overload of Thailand posts.

ooh - love this post :) all that food!!! uni, foie gras, seafood mmmm....then I saw the bunny. Anyways, looks like you had a fantastic time! The hotel is pretty nice - smart design with the basin and mirrors and the barbie doll handles.